A personal blog about the life & sauce of Annelise Rowe. Air Force & Air National Guard, Boise, Idaho, travel, healthy living, faith, and running.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Air Force BMT Fitness Standards

Last time I mentioned my fitness routine and talked about how I was switching it up from just running to getting back into the gym, I didn't include the fact that I was joining the Air National Guard the next day. So yeah, little detail... I kind of left it out. Anyway, the biggest reason why I've backed off from the long-distance running—besides for trying to heal my body after the marathon two months ago—is to get better in shape for Basic Military Training (BMT). In Basic, it's not just running—it's push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, squats, flutter kicks, calisthenics, sprints, obstacle courses, and exercises that I don't even have any idea about... I have to be ready for anything.

Down at BMT, before you are able to graduate, you must perform a fitness test. There are three levels you can achieve, the Liberator (the minimum graduation requirements), the Thunderbolt (honor graduate minimum standards), and the Warhawk (the highest fitness standard). If you guessed I'd go for the Warhawk, you would be correct. Here's a breakdown of the standards you have to meet for each category (as of 18 July 2014).

This past Saturday, I put myself to the test, doing the push-ups & sit-ups inside, and then heading outdoors for the run—I had to run in the snow and it was cold and icy! I was able to do 55 push-ups, 65 sit-ups, and I finished my run in 10:53 (I did the pull-ups at the gym last week and was able to get 4). One thing is for certain, I may be right on the bubble of the Warhawk standards—but I need to keep working hard to maintain these numbers and decrease my run time! I am very excited that I have this measurement guide to train towards, because it's giving me some good inspiration to get in the best Basic Training shape possible.

At the gym, I've been mixing it up each day. I tend to stick to more high-intensity workouts that involve each of the above exercises, as well as jumping rope, jump squats, lunges, mountain climbers, burpees (and burpee pull-ups!), triceps dips, planks, crunches, and honestly... anything I can think of. It changes every time.

I'm looking at these fitness standards like any other goal I've set for myself. Train, train, train and make it happen.

/ / UPDATE:

As of February 12, 2014, I can now do 50 push-ups (my number is less but my form is better!), 60 sit-ups, my run time is 10:13, and I can now do 10 pull-ups. Little by little, I'm improving!

As of March 2, 2014, I tested and completed 46 push-ups, 66 sit-ups, my run time is 10:00, and I achieved 6 pull-ups.

As of April 6, 2014, I tested at Student Flight and completed 43 push-ups, 62 sit-ups, my run time is 9:32, and I can now do 10 pull-ups. Basic Training, here we come!

/ / POST BMT UPDATE:

I ended up finishing BMT with PT scores of: 54 pull-ups, 68 sit-ups, 7 pull-ups, and a run time of 8:42—BMT's 5th fastest female time in their history! I achieved Warhawk and the Top PT award. It was an honor! You can read more about my final PT scores and the Top PT award here!

Before you even mentioned the warhawk level, I figured you'd go for the best! haha good luck, you should post some of your workouts! I tend to do the same thing over and over again, so I'd love some new ideas!

I bet you could if you went super-quick! I don't know how you do a 2-minute challenge. I would get very, very fatigued. I feel like the Air Force makes you go SO QUICKLY... almost like they don't give you enough time, but with the 2-minutes I would be dead by the end of it.

You know, my favorite thing to do is pick 5-10 exercises. Today I did 5. I picked jumping rope, walking lunges, mountain climbers, jumping jacks and burpees. I did each exercise for 1-minute with 10 seconds of rest before moving on to the next. I repeated the set 3-times and then finished with some butt-kicks and abs, totaling about a 25-minute workout. It was very fast-paced and made me sweat! I always use my interval timer watch, so it tells me exactly when to go, stop and rest :)

PS> Last time I did it, my run time was a 10:35, my push-ups were 46, sit-ups were 59, and pull-ups were 4. So my run got slower but the push-ups and sit-ups got faster... it takes work! So don't be defeated if you give it a shot and it's not perfect the first time :)

Lol giiiirl, you got this. And that's so great you're training ahead of time. You'll thank yourself when your flight is getting "beat". MTIs love flutterkicks and push-ups as punishment, that's for sure. Even if you don't train, their PT will get you right for that test. I went in able to do maybe 5 correct push ups, and I graduated doing 30+ pretty easily. Hope you're ready for 5AM formations! Ick!

Just one more reason why you ABSOLUTELY ROCK, my awesome-sauce friend! :) Of course you would strive to be the best! :) Not surprised AT ALL that you are already able to do all of this.

I could totally do the situps, however, I would never, ever even be able to pass the Liberator level, simply because I have found that after my mastectomy, my pectoral muscles are not very strong, and because they're positioned differently, they will never be strong. Ever. :P

Gayle, thank you so much!!! I have absolutely no idea what it would be like for you to try to do push-ups. I didn't even think of that. You are a rockstar, for how fit you are though! Seriously. I look up to you & your perseverance so much. Thank you, Gayle!

With the push-ups and sit-ups, is it measured within a one-minute or two-minute time scale? Like, how many can you do within one minute? Also, with push-ups, are you allowed to rest or do you have to maintain the plank position?

Jacqui, great question. For the Air Force, it's one minute. I think the army is two. You can push up into a mountain position during the push-ups to rest, but if you put your knees down, you're done :)

Congratulations! I have recently joined the Air Guard to and am striving for the Warhawk status, I will leave for basic sometime in August, it was great to read your story I hope I am as successful as you!